The Link Between Mid-Back Pain and Working From Home

Are you loving everything about working from home except the sudden mid-back pain that has appeared since you left an office setup? Your new setup may not be supporting your spine health like it should. This doesn’t mean you have to go back to on-site work. You may just need to make a few adjustments.

At CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center, with multiple locations in Maryland, our providers can diagnose the cause of your back pain and provide the appropriate treatment and recommendations to ease your symptoms.

The differences in work and home environments

If you’ve recently started working from home, a lot may have changed regarding your working space, habits, posture, and comfort levels. Unless you treat your body right and have the appropriate office furniture, you're likely to experience neck or back pain due to changes in how you sit and work.

For example, if you try to cram a full day’s work into one long marathon, and you barely get up to use the bathroom, you could be locking your spine into a bad position. Or, if you lean over your computer while sitting on the couch, you could be putting stress on your back.

And, even if you have somewhat of an office setup, if your chair type or chair height, for example, aren’t appropriate, you could be straining your spine. Having poor posture and a lack of lumbar support are common culprits when it comes to developing mid-back pain if you work from home.

Making positive changes 

Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to prevent and reduce mid-back pain. 

Get the right furniture

Start by investing in a high quality chair with adequate lumbar support. And get a good desk along with a riser that can allow you to raise and lower your computer monitor. Using ergonomic office furniture can significantly decrease musculoskeletal discomfort, including mid-back pain. 

Use the correct posture

It’s also important to note that even if you have ideal furniture, you have to use it correctly. Make sure your keyboard and mouse are placed at a level that allows your elbows to bend almost at a right angle. If your hands are too far down or too high up, this could put strain on your back, shoulders, neck, and wrists.

And, make sure your knees are bent at a right angle and your feet are flat on the floor. Furthermore, position your monitor at eye level. If you have to crane your neck to see the screen, this could put too much stress on your body.

Take breaks

Don’t forget to take breaks! Get up and walk around at least once every 30-60 minutes, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Take the opportunity to stand straight, and pull your shoulder blades together as tight as you can before releasing them. This can help “unfreeze” muscles in your back that have started to stiffen.

Get help

If you’ve been suffering with back pain, whether or not it’s due to working from home, we can help. We have a range of therapies that can target back pain. We can even refer you for surgery if the condition of your spine indicates you need surgical intervention. 

If you’re suffering from back pain and want care, we can help. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center today. Our Maryland offices are located in Hyattsville, Gaithersburg, Lanham, Dundalk, Oxon Hill, Rosedale, and Olney, and we have two offices in Baltimore.